Sirat al-Nijat,

An important treatise relating to the Shi'a interpretations of irfan (ethics), fiqh and usul (roots and principles of Islamic jurispudence).

Murtada ibn Muhammad Amin Ansari, known as al-Shaykh al-Ansari (1800 - 1864) was an authoritative Shi'a scholar whose understanding of Shari'a law lead him to become a Marja' (a jurist whose fatwas on legal matters are practised by their local Shi'a community) during his lifetime. The popularity of his teachings lead this particular treatise to appear in lithographed form in 1883 (in Tehran), and although printed copies of the text have been institutionally located, no other manuscripts have been traced that were copied during the author's lifetime.

The richly dyed blue paper and the scribal hand present in this manuscript indicate production in a formal Qajar scriptorium. The volume was either commissioned directly by the royal household of Fath'Ali Shah, for personal use by the Royal Family, or was acquired by shortly after copying (Imperial Qajar seals to first leaf).